Nozzle for vacuum cleaners



May 13, 1941.

DAHL NOZZLE FOR VACUUM CLEANERS Filed Aug. 31} 1958 VBY Patented May 13,1941 UNiTE NOZZLE FOR VACUUM CLEANERS Giista Dahl, Stockholm, Sweden,assignor to Electrolux Corporation, Dover, DeL, a corporation ofDelaware Application August 31, 1938, Serial No. 227,637 In SwedenSeptember 2, 1937 '3 Claims.

This invention relates to nozzles for vacuum cleaners, and moreparticularly to nozzles provided with depending brushes.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved suction nozzlehaving a depending brush with relatively movable brush sectionsproducing openings between the brush sections along the forward edgeupon forward movement of the nozzle, whichopenings will be closed uponrearward movement.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved nozzle whichwill clean with equal facility upon either a forward movement or. upon areverse movement of the nozzle.

In accordance with my invention, a plurality of brush sections aresecured to the forward and rear edges of the nozzle which provideopenings between the adjoining sections along the forward edge uponforward movement of the nozzle, and also provide openings along the rearedge upon rearward movement of the nozzle.

What I consider to be novel and my invention may be better understood byreference to the following specification and appended claims, whenconsidered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1is a front elevation of my improved nozzle; 7

Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the nozzle; and

Fig. 3 is a composite bottom view of the nozzle, showing the relativepositions of the brush sections upon forward and reverse movement.

Referring to the drawing, III indicates a nozzle body connected to asource of suction (not shown) by means of an elbow II connected to asuction conduit I2. Depending from the forward edge, as determined bythe normal direction of movement of the nozzle body, are a plurality ofbrush sections I3, of square cross sectlonsfand brush sections I4 oftriangular cross sections, interspersed between the adjoining brushsections I3. The brush sections I4 are positioned with the apices of thetriangles extending forwardly in the d rection of the normal movement ofthe nozzle body III or outwardly of the nozzle mouth. Between theadjoining brush sections I3 and I4, an inclined passage I5 is provided.Depending from the rear edge are a plurality of brush sections I6 ofsquare cross sections and brush sections II of triangular crosssections. The brush sections I! of triangular cross sections aresimbrush sections I6 with the apices of the triangles extendingrearwardly from the direction of nor mal movement of the nozzle body IIIor outwardly of the nozzle mouth. Between the adjacent brush sections I6and I1, inclined passages I8 are provided. The brush sections I4 and I!are formed of more flexible bristles than the brush sections l3 and I 6.Thus, the brush sec tions I4 and II will flex more freely due tofrictional contact with the surface being cleaned than the brushsections I3 and I6. As indicated in Fig. 3, to the left of the centerline of the nozzle body III, the brush sections I4 will move rearwardlyas the nozzle is moved forward in the direction indicated by the arrowin the left and the brush sections I! will likewise move rearwardly. Themovement of the brush sections I4 rearwardly will enlarge the passagesI5 between the adjacent brush sections I3 and I4. The suctioncommunicated through the suction conduit I2 and elbow II to the nozzlemouth will produce a flow of air between the adjacent brush sections I3and It in the direction indicated by the arrows to the left of thecenter line in Fig. 3. The flow of air through the passages I5 willcarry with it dirt and dust located on the surface being cleaned. Thebrush sections I'I along the rear edge of the nozzle body I0 moving in arearward direction will close the passages I8 between the adjacent brushsections IB and II. This prevents the dust and dirt carried by the airthrough the passages I5 from passing beneath the nozzle body It as it ismoved forwardly. In a similar manner, when the nozzle body I8 is movedrearwardly in the direction indicated by the arrow on the right of Fig.3, the brush sections I4 will be moved forwardly, closing the passagesI5 between the adjacent brush sections I3 and I4, and the brush sectionsII, also moving forwardly, will open wider the passages I8 between theadjacent brush sections I6 and I1. Thus in a rearward movement of thenozzle body III, air will be drawn in by the suction communicated to thenozzle mouth in the direction indicated by the arrows to the right ofthe center line of Fig. 3.

vThe air passing through the passages I8 will draw with it dust and dirtlocated on the surface being cleaned in a manner as described for theforward'movement of the nozzle body I0. In this case, the passages I5,being closed, will prevent the escape of this dust and dirt as thenozzle body I0 is moved rearwardly. By the arrangement of relativelyflexible and inflexible adjoining sections on the front and rearwardedge of the nozzle body, the cleaning of a surface is facilitatedindependently of the direction of moveilarly interspersed between theadjoining square ment of the nozzle body I0.

Secured along the two ends of the nozzle body III and depending at anangle .tl'lerefrom are brush sections IQ and 20, which are formed in asubstantially compact manner to prevent an undue reduction in thesuction available for lifting the dirt and causing it to pass betweenthe passages in the front or rear of the nozzle, depending upon thedirection of movement of the nozzle. Due to the outward inclination ofthe brush sections I9 and 20, the cleaning of a surfaceadjoiningfurniture will be facilitated without the danger of damage to thefurniture. Instead of forming the brush sections I4 and I! of relativelyflexible bristles, as compared with the brush sections l3 and I6,respectively, it may be found desirable to use bristles of the sameflexibility but obtain the movement by making the length of the bristlesof brush sections I 4 and I1 greater than the length of the bristles ofbrush sections l3 and- IS. The greater length of the bristles willincrease the frictional contact with the surface being cleaned and soproduce the desired relative movement between the brush sections l3 andI4 and brush section l6 and H.

The operation of my improved nozzle may be described as follows:

The nozzle body I is connected to a source of suction by means ofconduit l2 and elbow II. The suction is communicated to the nozzle mouththrough an opening 2|. As the nozzle is moved back and forth over asurface being cleaned, the brush sections tend to agitate or disturb thedirt located on the surface contacted thereby. On the forward stroke ofthe nozzle the relative movement between the brush sections l3 and I 4permit a flow of air through the passages l5 into the nozzle mouth. Thedirt and dust carried by the air entering the passages I5 is preventedfrom passing beneath the nozzle mouth as the nozzle is moved forward bythe brush sections l6 and H, which present a relatively closed surface,due to the movement of brush sections [1 into contact with the brushsections Hi. This movement closes the normal passages l8. Spaced brushsections along the front edge of the nozzle have been used heretofore topermit the ready entrance of the dirt and dust into the region of thenozzle mouth upon forward movement of the nozzle.

This has been accomplished by relatively immovable brush sections spacedalong the front edge of the nozzle. However, such a construction doesnot permit an eflicient cleaning upon rearward movement of the nozzle.In my construction this is accomplished by the reverse movement of thebrush sections l4 and II, respectively, upon the back stroke of thenozzle. As the nozzle I0 is moved rearwardly with the brush sections incontact with a surface being cleaned, the brush sections I! open thepassages la. The movement of the brush sections l4 closes the normallyopen passages I5. This permits the air entering through the passages l8to carry with it dirt and dust disturbed by contact between the brushsections and the surface being cleaned. Passage by the nozzle of thedirt and dust entering in the region of the mouth of the nozzle isprevented by the closing of the passages l5. Dirt and dust is carriedinto the region of the mouth of the nozzle either through the passagesI5 'on the forward movement of the nozzle or through the passages l8 onthe rearward movement of the nozzle. Dust,

and dirt are carried into the vacuum cleaner through the suction conduitl2 and elbow II. The closing of the passages l8 upon the forwardmovement of the nozzle or the passages l5 upon rearward movement of thenozzle together with the brush sections 19 and 20 perform the additionalfunction of maintaining a relatively high suction for the lifting of thedirt and dust by the suction after it has entered into the region of thenozzle mouth. Obviously, if these passages were permitted to remain openthey would not only permit, at least some of the dirt and dust, to passbeneath the nozzle but they would also reduce the suction available forlifting the dirt and dust and carrying it away from the surface beingcleaned.

Other forms of the relatively movable and immovable brush sections maybe used than those shown for the purpose of illustrating the invention.It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specificform of these brush sections, but it is only limited to the extentpointed out in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A nozzle for vacuum cleaners comprising a nozzle body having asuction opening, a plurality of brush sections depending from the frontedge of the nozzle body in spaced relation, a plurality of brushsections depending from the front edge of the nozzle body between saidfirst-named brush'sections overlapping adjacent sections of saidfirst-named brush sections in a direction of normal movement of saidnozzle and forming passages therebetween communicating with said suctionopening, said first-named and secondnamed brush sections differing inflexibility,

whereby movementof said nozzle body in one direction in contact with asurface being cleaned causes relative movement between said brushsections to close said passages, and brush sections depending from therear edge and ends of said nozzle body.

2. A nozzle for vacuum cleaners comprising a nozzle body having asuction opening, brush sections of square cross-section secured inspaced relation along the forward edge of the nozzle body with adiagonal of each square substantially parallel to the direction ofmovement of the nozzle, brush sections of triangular cross-sectionsecured between said first-named brush sections with the apices of thetriangles extending forward closely adjacent said first-named brushsections and forming passages communicating with said suction opening,said last-named brush sections being more flexible than said first-namedbrush sections and adapted to move relative thereto upon movement ofsaid-nozzle rearwardly with said brush sections in contact with thesurface being cleaned to close said passages, and brush sections securedalong the rear edge and two ends of said nozzle body.

3. A nozzle for vacuum cleaners comprising a nozzle body having a mouthforming a suction opening, brush sections of square cross-section secuied in spaced relation along the forward and rear edges of said nozzlebody with a diagonal of each square substantially parallel to thedirection of movement of the nozzle, brush sections of triangularcross-section secured along the forward and rear edges of said nozzlebody between and closely adjacent to said first-named brush sectionsforming passages communicating. with said suction opening and having theapices extending outwardly from the-mouth of the nozzle body, saidlast-named brush. sections differing in flexibility from and adapted tomove relative to

